Attorney representing former IES finance director seeks more time to prepare for case

Attorney representing former IES finance director seeks more time to prepare for case
A see of the Federal Courthouse in Brownsville Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 7, 2022. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald)

An lawyer representing the previous finance director for IES or Worldwide Education and learning Products and services indicted on an embezzlement cost is requesting he get much more time to prepare for the advanced situation.

Juan Jose Gonzalez, the former finance director, along with Ruben Gallegos Jr., the former CEO, and Ruben Gallegos Sr., the previous president of IES, face theft and embezzlement rates they are accused of committing through the time they worked with and operated IES.

According to a federal movement filed Feb. 10, Gonzalez’s attorney states he is not ready to commence with this make any difference and that at an previously court day, “the issue was licensed as complicated by purchase of this courtroom.”

The movement also reads, “This continuance is not sought for hold off but only so that justice could be accomplished.”

Identical requests have been also designed Feb. 8 by attorneys symbolizing Gallegos Jr. and Gallegos Sr. as they keep on to get “discovery” from the federal authorities and “discovery in this issue is voluminous.”

Discovery is the system wherever both equally sides trade information and facts that will be made use of in the situation.

Although in the motions for the Gallegos’, a jury choice day has been talked about – it is scheduled for Might 8 – no jury range date is mentioned in the motion for continuance submitted on behalf of Gonzalez, court paperwork mirror.

The movement filed on behalf of Gonzalez reads “attorney for Juan Jose Gonzalez, respectfully requests that the courtroom grant this movement and increase sentencing for at the very least 60 days.”

The trio ended up indicted on the fees in August 2022.

Depend a person of the indictment charges them with conspiracy. Count two costs them with theft about applications receiving federal money

Among the prices and according to a portion of the indictment, Gallegos Jr. was paid out salaries way over the $183,000 cap restrict with his 2017 income at $435,416.88.

The indictment also states Gallegos Sr. was paid out $506,032.22 and Gonzalez $377,060.96 — also in violation of the wage caps — but their names are redacted in the doc.

The IES contracted with the Unaccompanied Alien Children Program and furnished short term shelter treatment and other connected services to unaccompanied alien small children, in accordance to the federal indictment.

IES been given almost all of its funding in the sort of federal grants, and for every single fiscal 12 months from 2014 as a result of 2018, it obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal grant resources.

Gallegos Jr. served as CEO of IES from 2014 to 2018, Gallegos Sr. as president, and Gonzalez as finance director until eventually the federal authorities decided it would not renew its funding for the IES shelter.

The United States Congress prohibited use of grant funds to spend salaries previously mentioned a specified level. In addition, federal polices further more restricted shelling out of grant cash.

If uncovered responsible on rely one particular of the indictment, each and every person faces 5 yrs in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 high-quality and a few yrs supervised launch. If located guilty on depend two of the indictment, they experience up to 10 decades in federal prison, and or a $250,000 fantastic as well as three years supervised launch.

All 3 have pleaded not responsible to the rates and are out on bond.